Australian airport blamed for Indian film debacle

The most expensive Bollywood film shot in Australia has run into a mid-movie crisis and producers are blaming the Gold Coast Airport because it has refused them access.
Producers of Hayy Babyy are furious with airport management after they had scouted the location and had deemed it 'perfect' for the script. Last night, airport boss Paul Donovan said he would sort out the problem.
"I will talk to the producers," he said. "There are security issues but we do allow movie shoots and I'll find out what has happened in this instance."
But Qantas has told the Indian producers it will provide an airport facility, either in Brisbane or Sydney, for the movie, which stars India's five most famous actors. The crew of the $80 million movie has been on the Gold Coast for a week, filming scenes at Dreamworld, The Villa and several beaches. Producer Anupam Sharma said a 'crucial' scene, which will air in 14,000 cinemas in India, was to be shot at the Gold Coast Airport.
Hayy Babyy will hit the screens in India in June or July, and it will be shown in Queensland with subtitles.
It has 20 of India's leading actresses, including rising superstar Vidya Balan.
India's top male actor Akshay Kumar is in the film, as are Indian household names Fardeen Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh and Bomani Irani. The film's director, Sajid Khan, is a top comic and actor.
Mr Sharma said Queensland was in danger of losing Bollywood films because of soaring location costs and greater incentives being provided by other states, such as NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
"Bollywood has been coming to the Gold Coast for the past eight years and it was the Premier Mr Beattie who hosted a big dinner in Mumbai to lure Bollywood to Queensland.
"There have been 131 Bollywood projects come to Australia since 1998, so you can see that the competition is becoming quite fierce."
19/01/07 The Gold Coast Bulletin, Australia

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline